Japan: Social Art and Design for Earthquake Relief · Global Voices
Tomomi Sasaki

This post is part of our special coverage Japan Earthquake 2011.
Three design-related projects have emerged out of the destruction of the earthquake and tsunami that hit the northeast coast of Japan last Friday 11 March, 2011.
#prayforjapan logo
The creators of the #prayforjapan initiative that encourages well-wishers across the world to send messages of support via microblogging site Twitter and make online donations, have made a number of logos available in multiple sizes for print, animated banners, and social media icons.
Pray for Japan donation box logo
This project is being led by blogger and advertising expert Naoyuki Sato, better known as Satonao. He explains [jp] how the project began after he received a tweet by Mikihiko Sawahata (@hossib), the owner of a Japanese restaurant Bissoh in Beaune, France:
さとなおさん、店で義援金を募集したいのですが募金箱のデザインをして下さる方はいらっしゃいませんか？　PDFファイルにして上げていただければ全世界でDLして印刷し、色々な場所におけます。
すぐに友人の石川淳哉さん（@junyaishikawa）にツイッターで相談し、「すぐ動こう」となり、あっという間に超多忙なデザイナー森本千絵さん（@morimotochie）にアプローチ。快諾をいただいて約１日、こんなデザインのマークが完成した。想いが詰まっていて、温かいいいマークだと思う。松永有子さん（@ebiita）、押井猛さん（@gatyaping2）のご協力も得て出来上がった。
The project is also calling on people to provide localized versions at @prayjp.
#setsudencopy
"Turn off the light. Let's go to sleep early". Image by @laughsketch.
#setsudencopy is the hashtag being used for a crowd-sourced project to create graphic posters with the message to conserve electricity. The upbeat site explains its mission in this way:
いまTwitter#setsudencopyで温かい節電コピーが生まれている。人が人を思う気持ちに感動だ。Twitterの中だけに留めておくのはMOTTAINAI!
そこで！
節電コピーのポスターを募集するぜ。印刷して、街中に貼ってくれ。（もちろん許可は取るんだよ。）
「アタシ家にプリンターなんて無いもの！」って子！なんと、セブンイレブンで印刷できちゃうんだぜ。各ポスターの下にある「ネットプリント」の番号をコピー機に入力するだけ！
「俺もポスターつくった！」って人は、下の [節電ポスターを投稿する] ボタンをクリック！インターネット歴1年未満の子は、メールで送ってね！
Heart-warming taglines appealing for energy saving are coming into the world on Twitter with the hash-tag #setsudencopy. It was inspired by the concern people have shown for each other. It’s a shame to keep this just to Twitter!
That’s why we’re asking for energy saving POSTERS! Print them, and cover the walls of your city (well, don’t forget to ask for permission ok?) You don’t have a printer? No problem. Did you know Seven-Eleven has printers? You just have to enter the “net print” number at the bottom of each poster into the photocopier at the store!
If you’ve made a poster, then click on “post this energy saving poster”! If you’re new to the Internet, just send it to us by email!
Graphics are being submitted to the project's Tumblr blog, with the first one posted on March 12, 2011.
"Save Power and Carry On". Image by @HN_feedbot.
"Let's unplug". Image by @daitocreative.
The images are available to the public:
このサイトにあるポスターはデザイナーたちの心意気によって、パブリックドメインドメインになっている。つまり、誰に許可を取ることなく、印刷、編集、転載など、自由かつ無制限に使っていいんだ。これらのポスターが少しでも早く、たくさんの人の行動に結びつくことを願っている。
#newday_GEISAI
Art contribution by Takehiko Inoue.
GEISAI is a gigantic art/design event founded by contemporary artist Takashi Murakami in 2001. The 15th installment was to be held on March 13, 2011, at the Tokyo Big Sight convention center.
In a statement announcing the cancellation, Murakami made a suggestion:
With the theme of providing encouragement to the victims and those who have despaired in the quake's aftermath, will you join me in uploading artwork to Twitter's affiliated image posting sites?
As an art festival, GEISAI should be on the front lines of this movement and it is with that in mind that we have selected the theme below and ask everyone to begin submitting their images!
The hashtag will be #newday_GEISAI
Tomorrow will always arrive.
The sun will always rise again.
A new day,
This is our theme.
This post is part of our special coverage Japan Earthquake 2011.